After the three-game Mass Effect trilogy came to an emotional end recently—part sadness at the closing of Commander Shepard’s storyline; part anger at the poorly executed ending (which was made much better by the release of an extended cut)—it seemed we’d be waiting a bit before any word of future titles in the franchise were spoken of. That said, we all knew that Mass Effect 4 would be arriving some day.

But while the game is still far off in the distance (next generation consoles, in the likeliest of scenarios), BioWare has already begun early development on the title, and they’re looking for feedback from we the players to help them decide where exactly they want to take the next game.

Executive producer Casey Hudson took to the Twitter recently to ask fans what they want to see in Mass Effect 4. A few folks have chimed in so far (some seriously; some joking), including this writer.

Someone mentioned exploration, which I could not agree with more. The ability to jump in the Mako in the first Mass Effect and explore various planets, finding side missions and mining for resources along the way, was crucial to my experience. I loved Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, but shooting probes or flying around at ludicrous speed just wasn’t the same. The actual planet exploration must have been sacrificed in order to put more into the quality of the levels and the worlds you visit for the primary storyline, so, if the next game is in fact on a next-gen console, hopefully they can restore that element of gameplay.

Another great suggestion is to open up multiple classes for you to play as. Sure, it helps BioWare to have a single main character they can base the whole storyline around and have the one male and female voice actor for. But BioWare also made Dragon Age: Origins, and one of the best things about that game was the multiple origin stories you could start your game with. After the intros it all became the same game, but there’s no denying the appreciation fans have for being able to choose between being a human or a dwarf or an elf. Surely there’s a large group of fans out there right now who are dying to play a Mass Effect campaign as a Krogan or Turian or Asari, as opposed to just being able to use them for multiplayer.

Where do YOU want to travel for Mass Effect 4? Would you prefer a prequel or sequel? And what gameplay changes/improvements do you want to see included?

I want a sequel. i want to see what happens after Sheppard is gone and the reapers are defeated/enslaved/etc assuming the player didn’t choose to let the reapers win.

Ryan

WHAT IF you made it like they made Halo Reach…… Play as a Protheon warrier in the late stages of the war? Or the early stages? JAVIK had a ship and crew, a life much like Shepards…surely another Prothy Protheon did?

Calvin

I really think the story should move forward not back in time,also away from more DLC’s cause that just makes you replay and replay.Out of the four endings,destroy really is the only option.That was the whole point of mass effect destroy or be destroyed.You could maybe jump 500 years ahead?? You could even use some of the original characters assari and krogan live long lives and Liara would be alive LOL Just my thoughts going into overdive.

http://www.facebook.com/morrigan.deamon1 Connah Harold Harvey

I want it to be set a few years after bring back a more Mature Grunt, Miranda, Kaidan/Ashley (dependent on alive/romance) New squaddie, new squaddie ect (give Tali and Garrus a break)

Ian

You could start as a recruit in the Alliance Navy, or the Turian navy or anything like that and work your way up, taking on different jobs in their militaries. It would be cool to see space battles somehow implemented into the gameplay.. Maybe you could be working the guns on the battleship early in career, or be a space fighter pilot. Just ideas! New characters, and lots of opportunities for friendships/relationships.

Danny Vasey

Thing is with making a ‘Mass Effect 4′ is you can’t really make a sequel. Because of the game’s final choice they’d have to make 4 different games to put the choice in effect. I mean, one ending is to get all chummy with the Reapers. One ending everyone dies? And to forget about the whole thing and re-writing the ME universe would feel a little like “and it was all a dream…” And the problem with prequels is that humans are very new to the ME universe with them being in no ‘big’ wars, so it’s awkward to say the least really. Either way, I hope they do a good job and I’m looking forward to it.

http://www.facebook.com/sam.noble3 Sam Noble

i’d do a prequel about the protheans or the leviathans, something to expand the universe, like focus on the terminus wars or the rise of the geth.

just something where you’re not human so people won’t compare it to shepard, maybe the first contact war.

as for a sequel it would have to be something like KOTOR2 where its so far in the future that what happened to shepard and the reapers is incinsequential

also if anyone has any information in how to get more involved with this then please contact me

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1599810117 Josh Lu Bu Bonds

I want SHEPARD’S story to continue. I don’t think BioWare/EA realizes we buy these games because of the attachment with the characters we’ve grew. This is the only game I play for the beautiful story/choices, and not just the graphics or same ol’ multiplayer. What happened AFTER that Normandy wall? What came about with Shepard’s romance (I had Ashley since ME1)??? Does Garrus ever become viewed as a hero & possibly a Spectre??? I hope BioWare realizes this. Maybe make Mass Effect 4 along the lines of “rebuilding the galaxy” and face opposition from Thresher Maws, or introduce a NEW enemy, but keep the team together. Shepard is the face of the franchise. His romances & friends keep the chocies & the excitement that has been built through the series worth playing. I can play it 100 times and still love seeing the interactions off what I created.

In comparison, you see Halo bought themselves back to Master Chief… Master Chief is what makes Halo unique. He’s the face of the franchise. BioWare, keep Shepard & the crew as the main story, we are all attached to what we’ve grown.

Calvin

Buy doing protheans or leviathans your going backwards in time and you would always wonder how it could change things with the current mass effect which of cause it wont.It appears Bioware are hard fast on having shepard gone.As i said in past comments most people choose destroy which you can go on with.We really need to go forward other wise its like movie series, first three are made then the next three are made with story lines befor the first three

typhoonblu

i want at least the main story line to be coop

http://www.facebook.com/DruidMommy Kathryn Mary Horne

I really want to see Shepard again. I mean, its either that or if they start from a new person’s perspective then 1. If Shepherd “survived” in the ending you got, then there should be something mentioned in ME4 that the hero of the Reaper war was found alive but in critical condition 2. Garrus needs to come back as a romance option for the women IF you a. didn’t romance him in ME2 and 3 and/or b. Shepherd survived at the end of ME3

This is what roleplaying is about, right? Decisions weighing heavily on the gameplay. But personally I would like to see my Shepard again. Because Garrus deserves a living Shepherd. >:( I want my Turian/Human babies, dammit!

bliz917

They just need to give up already. They have already proven to the die hard fans that they are liars and couldnt care less about our reaction or thoughts. I poll on their site proves how much the screwed up when you have over 22k people very upset with only 600 saying they were happy. And screw what the paid shills aka Critics think. They want Shepard dead, fine, but any other main character will be compared to Shepard. Mass Effect was Shepard’s story. They screwed the pooch with the ending totally going against what was said all a long. Extended Cut in my opinion only made the screwed up endings worse. Hudson and Walters need to be fired. Game has no replay value. I could go on and on but I digress. No Shepard, No Mass Effect, and no reason for after being highly invested in all 3 games, to be let down in the end, for me to dish out the money for a new game. They cant be trusted. I am done with Bioware.